Basketball (illustrative)
Basketball (illustrative)iStock

The National Basketball Association (NBA) announced on Wednesday it was suspending the season until further notice after a Utah Jazz player tested positive for the coronavirus, Reuters reported.

The test result was reported shortly before the Jazz were due to play the Oklahoma City Thunder at Chesapeake Energy Arena. The game was then cancelled.

The league said the affected player, reportedly Jazz center Rudy Gobert, was not in the arena.

“The NBA is suspending game play following the conclusion of tonight’s schedule of games until further notice,” it said in a statement.

“The NBA will use this hiatus to determine next steps for moving forward in regard to the coronavirus pandemic.”

A game between the New Orleans Pelicans and the Sacramento Kings was also called off at the last minute on Wednesday, leading to tears from at least one young fan in attendance.

It is unclear how the suspension will affect the NBA playoffs, which were scheduled to tip off on April 18 with the finals set to begin on June 4.

Following the NBA’s announcement, the National Hockey League (NHL) said it was consulting with medical experts and would have a further update on Thursday.